Pregnancy is one of the primary causes of an apron belly. The skin of your belly has had to stretch to make room for a human growing inside. Ideally, you would be able to snap your fingers and have your post-pregnancy tummy in its pre-pregnancy state as soon as you give birth. However, this may not come as easily as you wish. It can take a few months to even years depending on the factors that I will discuss herein.
Mother’s apron after pregnancy is a condition that affects most women after giving birth. It is a result of overstretching the connective tissues in the abdomen, followed by a sudden drop in weight.
The connective tissues in the abdomen, including the abdominal muscles, relax to give room for the baby to grow. As pregnancy moves forward, the baby grows bigger and this extra mass pushes out on the belly, thus enlarging it. After giving birth, the belly doesn’t immediately return to its original position, which is the primary cause of a mother’s apron after pregnancy.
What Other Factors Cause a Mother’s Apron After Pregnancy?
A mother’s apron is common after pregnancy due to a number of factors, such as:
Uterus enlargement
During the entire pregnancy period, the uterus enlarges as the baby grows. The enlargement of the uterus has a direct impact on the abdominal muscles as it causes them to stretch, which also loosens the skin around your belly.
Fat Accumulation
Some women gain a considerable amount of body fat during pregnancy. When they lose weight after giving birth, this may cause the belly to sag before it adjusts back to its original shape. Of course, it takes time before the skin starts to come back after the bulging and stretching that happened during pregnancy. But once the skin has been stretched, it doesn’t always return to its original elasticity.
Abdominal Stretching
Also called abdominal separation, it is a condition that affects women mostly six months after giving birth. This happens when the abdominals bulge or stretch sideways due to muscle separation after giving birth. When the abdominals – specifically a band of some connective tissues in your abdomen get overstretched, become weak and allow the tummy to start sagging in an apron-like shape.
The extent of abdominal stretching differs in women and also depends on the size of the baby, or babies.
Studies show that about 50% of women experience abdominal separation that may end up leaving the stomach bulging towards the lower abdomen in a saggy manner. (this condition is called Diastasis recti).
Diastasis recti is also partially caused by pregnancy hormones that help in making the connective tissues in the abdomen region relax so that the baby has room to grow. After pregnancy, this may not go away completely and can contribute to an apron belly.
Other Reasons
You may develop an apron belly due to a number of factors discussed above. Some of the other reasons that are likely to give you a pannus stomach after pregnancy could include the following:
- Given birth to twins.
- Given birth more than once.
- Strained abdominal muscles due to other conditions such as vomiting and heavy lifting.
- More than once caesarian birth.
Removing Apron Belly After Pregnancy
Mother’s apron after pregnancy should not worry you since it is normal and manageable. Though it may look awkward to have a saggy belly, you should absolutely try natural ways such as diet, physical exercise, and staying properly hydrated.
It is normal for your skin to tighten back up to a degree. You should allow time for this to happen naturally before you look into other methods.
If a considerable amount of time has passed and you are not satisfied with how much the skin has returned, there are also non-invasive ways of approaching the situation, such as:
Mesotherapy
Mesotherapy is a procedure that is used to remove excess fat in specific areas of the body by using hormones, enzymes, and vitamin injections. This method uses these natural substances that work to speed the tightening of the skin.
Laser Skin Resurfacing
Laser skin resurfacing is one of the safest methods of removing an apron belly after childbirth. The method also works for any other part of the body. It uses tiny laser beams that remove thin layers of skin to make it go into recovery mode. This method has been used effectively for correcting post-pregnancy apron belly and other skin conditions such as scars and wrinkles.
This would not be an approach for someone with a massive amount of excess skin, but can help those who just want their bellies to be a little tighter.
Thread tummy tuck
This method is non-surgical and it lifts the skin using barbed threads that dissolve with time. Some threads can remain for up to six months, and are effective for tightening loose stomach skin in women and are also used for men.
Abdominoplasty
Abdominoplasty, also known as a tummy tuck, is an effective way of tightening loose belly skin that women experience after delivery. It is done by trained and experienced plastic surgeons, as it involves surgical procedures to remove excess fat deposits and loose belly skin, as well as tighten the abdominal wall. With this method, you may experience some discomfort – especially within the first week.
The disadvantage that comes with abdominoplasty is that it comes with a lot of risks, especially if it is done immediately after pregnancy. Therefore, you will need to consult an experienced doctor for advice on whether it is safe for you at that specific time. Not everyone is a candidate for a tummy tuck.
Final Thoughts
It is important to note that an apron belly, or a mother’s apron, is totally normal after pregnancy and affects about half of mothers. You, however, are best off spending your time maintaining a healthy lifestyle, since it may take some time before you regain your original shape.
If you are worried and want to get rid of it, feel free to consult with your doctor to work out the best solution for your situation.